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Read: Psalm 5
But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
Will enter your house,
I will bow down toward your temple
In awe of you. Psalm 5:7
Abundance. This word resonates in me whenever I hear it. But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house... Abundance moves the Psalmist—in the intensity of her sighs, cries, and preoccupation with enemies—into the temple where she falls freely to her knees in a full-bodied gesture of surrender to God.
The Psalmist’s dramatic homecoming reminds me of the strange journey of the magi. Following the glow of a star, these astrologers make their way for miles on camels’ backs over desert sand toward the small town of Bethlehem. At the sight of Jesus, they kneel with their gifts and bow before a baby.
God’s abundant love has a momentum to it. Like a river, its creative currents sweep us into the wider waters of God’s story. Along with the Psalmist and the magi, God’s abundance draws us beyond our current horizon to participate more deeply in God’s life and activity in the world. It inspires us, and propels us forward, generously guiding and sustaining us along the way. At times, the path is winding and the timing of things, mind boggling! We find ourselves taking unanticipated risks and arriving in unimaginable places.
The current of God’s abundant love drew me into a homeward journey. It welled up in my sighs and prayers as I discerned the stars of my life. In February 2020, I left Philadelphia and followed a star which stopped over Asheville, NC. One day in March, the star stopped again. I climbed the steps of a portico and entered a stunning sanctuary. A week later, quarantine hit.
I am grateful to find a home at FBCA. This Advent, may God’s abundant love tend us toward home as we anticipate Jesus’ coming. May its momentum sweep us onto our knees in awe and wonder.
~Heather Swanson
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